Dirigible ski sled



Sept. 1, 1964 c. G. vAN TRI-:ss ETAL 3,147,019

DIRIGIBLE SKI SLED Filed Dec. 17, 1962 a lla F3 az CHARLES G. VAN TRESS JERALD B. WIL/(EN INVENTORS.

United States Patent O 3,147,019 DIRIGIBLE SKI SLE!) Charles G. Van Tress, Montclair, and Jerald B. Wilken, Pomona, Calif. Filed Dec. 17, 1962, Ser. No. 245,194 Claims. (Cl. 2811-16) This invention relates to a dirigible ski sled of the type having three ski shoe runners; two of which are held in fixed position under the frame at the rear and the other being disposed at the front central portion and provided with a steering means.

The primary object of the present invention is to provide a sled that is capable of being steered by the rider standing on a rear step plate, and by leaning forwardly and grasping the handle bars to steer or guide the movement of the sled so as to simulate actual skiing maneuvers.

While the use of steerable sleds is old and well known it is appreciated that there is no provision for allowing the rider to gradually become familiar with the art of skiing by riding a ski sled which permits the type of control of the body that is not unlike that used in skiing.

Hence, a further object of the invention is the use of the sled runners that are similar in design to ski shoes, except that said runner shoes are provided with a saddle type of clamp that extends slightly downwardly past the outer edges of the runners to serve as a guiding means and to prevent sidewise movement.

A further object of the invention is to provide a device which allows participation in a skiing type of sport in comparative safety.

Finally, the present invention involves a dirigible ski sled that may be economically manufactured and yet provide a rugged construction which may be easily assembled and disassembled.

Although the foregoing objects are regarded as primary in this invention, other features will become apparent as the specification proceeds and from the illustration in the drawings, in which:

FIG. l is a top plan View of the dirigible ski sled;

FIG. 2 is a side elevational view;

FIG. 3 is a rear elevational view on a slightly enlarged scale with portions of the upper section being broken away;

FIG. 4 is a slightly enlarged sectional View on the line 4-4 of FIG. 2;

FIG. 5 shows a modification of the steering post construction;

FIG. 6 is a slightly enlarged section on line 6--6 of FIG. 5;

FIG. 7 is a modification of the step plate support shown in FIG. 3, and shown to the same scale; and

FIG. 8 is an enlarged detail of the adjustable step plate fastener shown in FIG. 7, but to a somewhat larger scale.

Referring now to the accompanying drawings in detail, and more particularly to FIGURES 1, 2 and 3 the frame body is designated by the numerals 1, 2 and 3. The step plate 5 is secured to the raised rear portion 4 of the frame. As shovm by FIGURES 7 and 8 the step plate may be made adjustable by means of clamps 6 being fitted on member 4-a.

The steering post assembly is indicated by 7, 8 and 9, the handle bars 8 being joined to post 8-b which is joined by member 9, 10 to the portion 1 of the frame. A modified form of the steering post is shown in FIG. 5 with an enlarged section thereof being shown in FIG. 6. From the sectional View of FIG. 6 it is seen that this form allows for the use of a tubular steering post, instead of the strap members 7, 7 shown in FIG. 3,

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Also this provides for a convenient and eiiicient means of securing the forward ends 10-a of the frame to the steering section 7-a, 8-a.

With further reference to the steering post assembly itis noted that it is constructed of flat strips 8b which are integrally formed with the handle bars 8, while the strips 7 are hingedly fastened to shoe clamps 13 at the pivot 14. The saddle member 15 is fitted over the ski type shoe 12 with a small portion thereof extending slightly downwardly beyond the outer edge of the shoe. This provides for a guide means to prevent side slipping when the ski sled is being operated. A similar guide means is indicated as 16, 17 in FIG. 7. The shoe fasteners of the rear runners are indicated as 18, and the upwardly turned front portion 19 of the shoe 11 permits a close fitting engagement with the bent portion of the frame 1, 2.

From the above detailed description it will be seen that the present invention provides a dirigible ski sled that combines the features of skiing with those of sledding, including a relatively safe means of becoming familiar with the elementary principles of the sport of skiing. p

While we have shown and described certain specific forms of our invention, in a preferred form, it is understood that various changes and modifications may be made as deemed necessary or desirable within the scope of the appended claims.

We claim:

1. A dirigible ski sled having a unitary tubular frame body with parallel side portions, an upwardly turned rear portion, a front portion being upwardly and inwardly inclined, a step plate secured to the top of the said upwardly turned rear portion of the said frame, runner shoes secured underneath the said parallel side portions, a rearwardly inclined steering post hingedly joined to the forward end portion of the said tubular frame body, a steering handle extending from the upper end of the steering post, a runner shoe hingedly connected to the lower end of the said steering post.

2. A dirigible ski sled having a unitary tubular frame body with parallel side portions, an upwardly turned rear portion, a front portion being upwardly and inwardly inclined, an adjustable step plate secured to the top of the said upwardly turned rear portion of the said frame, runner shoes secured underneath the said parallel side portions, a rearwardly inclined steering post hingedly joined to the forward end portion of the said tubular frame body, a steering handle extending from the upper end of the steering post, a runner shoe hingedly connected to the lower end of the said steering post.

3. A dirigible ski sled having a unitary tubular frame body with parallel side portions, an upwardly turned rear portion, a front portion being upwardly and inwardly inclined, an adjustable step plate secured to the top of the said upwardly turned rear portion of said frame, runner shoes secured underneath the said parallel side portions, a rearwardly inclined steering post pivotally joined to the forward end portion of the said tubular frame body, a steering handle extending from the upper end of the steering post, a runner shoe hingedly connected to the lower end of the said steering post.

4. A dirigible ski sled having a unitary tubular frame body with parallel side portions, an upwardly turned rear portion, a front portion being upwardly and inwardly inclined, an adjustable step plate secured to the top of the said upwardly turned rear portion of the said frame, runner shoes secured underneath the said parallel side portions, a rearwardly inclined steering post pivotally joined to the forward end portion of the said tubular frame body, said steering post being inclined at an angle of substantially forty-five degrees from the horizontal, a

steering handle extending from the upper end of the steering post, a runner shoe hingedly connected to the lower end of the said steering post.

5. A dirigible skid sled having a unitary tubular frame body with parallel side portions, an upwardly turned rear portion, a front portion being upwardly and inwardly inclined, an adjustable step plate secured to the top of the said upwardly turned rear portion of said frame, runner shoes secured underneath the said parallel side portions, a rearwardly inclined steering post pivotally joined to the forward end portion of the said tubular frame body, said steering post being inclined at an angle of substantially forty-ve degrees from the horizontal, a steering handle extending from the upper end of the steering post, a runner shoe hingedly connected to the 1 lower end of the said steering post, an inverted U- shaped member tted over the upper surface of each runner and having the side portions thereof extending slightly below the lower surface of said runners.

References Cited in the le of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 505,993 Seebick Oct. 3, 1893 551,442 Korir Dec. 17, 1895 1,498,992 Blomstrand June 24, 1924 1,951,277 Elliotte Mar. 13, 1934 3,014,731 Dworak Dec. 26, 1961 FOREIGN PATENTS 231,874 Germany Mar. 2, 1911 89,735 Sweden July 13, 1937 261,019 Switzerland Aug. l, 1949 

1. A DIRIGIBLE SKI SLED HAVING A UNITARY TUBULAR FRAME BODY WITH PARALLEL SIDE PORTIONS, AN UPWARDLY TURNED REAR PORTION, A FRONT PORTION BEING UPWARDLY AND INWARDLY INCLINED, A STEP PLATE SECURED TO THE TOP OF THE SAID UPWARDLY TURNED REAR PORTION OF THE SAID FRAME, RUNNER SHOES SECURED UNDERNEATH THE SAID PARALLEL SIDE PORTIONS, A REARWARDLY INCLINED STEERING POST HINGEDLY JOINED TO THE FORWARD END PORTION OF THE SAID TUBULAR FRAME BODY, A STEERING HANDLE EXTENDING FROM THE UPPER END OF THE STEERING POST, A RUNNER SHOE HINGEDLY CONNECTED TO THE LOWER END OF THE SAID STEERING POST. 